Turbine.



J.'HUTCHINGS.

TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1908.

906,429. Patented Dec. 8, 1908 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HUTOHINGS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

TURBINE Application filed. February 24, 1908.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 417,573.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H'u'ronmes, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Capel House, (52 New Broad street, in the city of London, England, mechanical and mining engineer, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in and Relating to Tiu-bine-V-Fhee s, of which the following is a specification.

The resent invention relates to improvements in elastic fluid turbines, and more especially to the type embodying a plurality of sets of vanes whi h are adapted to permit successive expansions of the motive fluid and are so constructed as to permit reversing in the direction of rotation of the rotor, and it has for its object to provide an improved turbine of this character involving a novel construction and arrangement of the vanes which are mounted in stepped order upon the rotor, and also to provide novel valve mechanism whereby the motive fluid may operate expansively in driving the rotor in either direction, or the motive fluid at full pressure may, if so desired, be admitted to each set of vanes, the valves serving to convert the turbine from compound to simple operation, and vice versa.

The invention is capable of use generally as a turbine for various purposes, although in the present instance, one form is illustrated which is especially adapted for use in combination with internal combustion engines, such combined structures being disclosed in my prior applications, Serial Nos. 353,485, led January 22, 1907 and 353,642, filed January 23, 1907.

The turbine rotor or wheel constituting one of the essential inte ers of the present invention is one which as a plurality of lines of vanes on its periphery with other vanes nearer the axis of the wheel-one line having the curvature of their blades arranged to impel the wheels in one direction to utilize the force of the air exoansively in one direction of revolution while the other line of vanes are 0 positely disposed in similar fashion to impe the wheel in the opposite direction of revolution. These lines of vanes are aflixed each line 11 on its appropriate circumference of a circu ar base or foundation wheel formed in steps as distinguished from the ring type of turbine referred to in my Patent No. 868438 of October 15th 1907.

Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional elevation of a turbine or rotor wheel with the adat or about the line l 24 are like bearings jacent parts for utilizing and controlling its force and direction of motion under the inipelling influence of the motive fluid such as compressed air or steam and for effecting reversal of the direction of the supply of such motive fluid and of the rotation of the wheel. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 partly in section the left hand portion over A being taken A, A of Fig. 1, while the ortion over B is taken about the line B, B of Fig. 1, and the portion over C is taken about the line C, O of Fig. 1.

As shown by the drawings, the rotor or turbine wheel It consists of a central circular rotatory foundation of any convenient construction and series of blades mounted thereon, coacting with series of valves, with appropriate bearings and axle parts, as b, for the conveyance of the power developed to the engine shaft a of an internal combustion engine and thence to means for controlling the valves; while that engine as shown in part may be employed to supply the motive fluid to the rotor. This however is an arrangement illustrated only as an instance of the range of utility of the invention and not as confining its application to such engines in articular.

To simplify description I have shown a simple construction of reversible rotor in which five series or circles of blades are mounted on the foundation and these I have identified by the numbers 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 respectively. As shown, and assuming that the direction of rotation around the axle b to be with the clock the motive fluid from any suitable source would be introduced by the pipes 1, 1, 1 into a circumferential distributing pipe 2 whence it passes by branch assages 3, 4 to the ports of the valve 0 in wflich are formed, first inlet ports 15, 16, (see portion C of Fig. 2) respectively used for initiating the introduction of fluid onto the circumference of the wheel, while other ports 20, 21, 22, and 23 (see portion B of Fig. 2) are formed through the body of the plug.

(1 is a peripheral chamber around the turbine casing to receive and convey away the exhaust, or waste fluid which passes through the space 53 therein, after it has escaped from the circle of blades upon which it last exerted propulsive force, say 7.

54, 54 indicate escape passages into 53 from 7.

c, e, e are bearings for the shaft 1) and 24, for the shaft a which is provided with suitable cranks and connecting rods from the engine of which f may be the end of the explosion cylinder and 9 its piston.

The blades of the turbine as regards those for use in driving in one direction are concaved towards the inlets of motive fluid and referring to the present arrangement the series 5 and 6 are concaved as seen at 5 in Fig. 1, while the blades of the mid series are each made up of double concaved faces as seen at 7, Fig. 1, and the opposite series as 8 and 9 are concaved as seen at S, Fig. 1. The motive fluid from passages 3 is directed by the passage 15 on the plug 0 (see part C of Fig. 2) thence into the passage 10 for de livery onto the series of blades 5 as each blade 5 receives the impact of the jet, it is forced forward and the fluid is deflected onto one of the inclinedplane surfaces 25, 25 of which a series are formed around each inner surface of the casing 7r respectively inclosing the portions of the turbine 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and from each surface 25 the fluid is again deflected to another blade and so on around the series.

At starting the fluid supplied through inlet port 15 passes into passage 10 and thence the port 20 (portion B Fig. 2) from which it emerges into passage 11 and therefrom into series 6 (performing the like duty as in series 5) and therefrom by passage 111 into port 21 and thence through passage 12 and so into series 7 wherein only one set of curved faces are for the time being utilized, and meanwhile the series 8 and 9 are not in use; and the fluid is thence exhausted through outlet54 into exhaust channel 53.

As soon as a reversal of direction of motion is required the plug of the valve 0 is rotated sufficiently to close the passages 10 and 110, 11 and 111, and 12. This movement simultaneously puts the starting inlet passage 113 into communication with the series of blades 9, and having completed its traverse thereof it expands by the passage 13, into the port 23 of the plug 0, and therefrom through passage 114 into and around the series 8, whence it passes by passage 14 into the port 22 into passage 112, therefrom around series 7, then by outlet 54 into exhaust conduit 53 and away as before.

When the fluid upon reversal from the direction primarily described enters the series 7 of the vanes, it impinges on the reverse series of curves to those upon which it acted in the primary direction, and thus the central series of vanes, herein marked 7, are so shaped as to serve alternatively for either direction of rotation, avoidingmultiplicity of such vanes.

l/Vhen the fluid is not desired to be expanded successively from the chambers around the series of vanes 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, it will be simultaneously introduced by the plugs 0 being formed with suitable passages leading to, through'and from the plugs 0 into the series 5, 6 and 7 for driving in a direction with the clock and then for driving against the clock the plug will be rotated sufliciently to direct the fluid by other passages leading to, through and from the plugs a into the series 9, 8 and 7, at the same time closing those passages employed in giving the fluid the initial direction, but the passages in the plug leading into the respective vane chambers would be of the kind shown at 15-l6 (instead of such as at 20) and supplementary exhaust passages 55, 56 and 57 ma be used for direct exhaust respectively from the casings of series 5, 6, 8 and 9.

The respective valves 0 arranged in series around the turbine are designed to be moved synchronously by any suitable arrangement of levers and links operated by handle, and such an arrangement of handle 258, of levers 257 and of links 256 as is indicated in Fig. 32 of the specification U. S. application Ser. N 0. 353,485 before mentioned would serve for the present purpose.

claim as my invention 1. A turbine comprising a suitable casing, a wheel revoluble therein and having a set of circumferentially-arranged vanes shaped to receive motive fluid in one direction, a second set of vanes shaped to receive motive fluid. flowing in an opposite direction, and a set of vanes shaped to receive motive fluid flowing. in either direction, and suitable valves for controlling the motive fluid.

2. A turbine wheel having a set of circumferentially-arranged vanes shaped to receive motive fluid flowing in either direction, and sets of vanes of relatively smaller diameter and arranged in stepped order at opposite sides of the vanes first mentioned, the intermediate set of vanes being shaped to receive motive fluid flowing in either direction, and the vanes at the o posite sides thereof being. shaped respective y to receive motive fluid owing in reverse directions.

3. A turbine wheelhaving a set of circumferentially-s aced vanes each provided at its 0 posite si es with concave faces to receive t 1e motive fluid rojected in either direction, and additiona sets of vanes extending circumferentially of the wheel and arranged instepped order at opposite sides of the vanes first mentioned, the vanes at one side of the Wheel beingconcaved at one side to receive the motive fluid projected in one direction, and the vanes at the opposite side of the wheel being concaved at their opposite sides to receive the motive fluid projected in a reverse direction.

4. A reversible turbine comprising a suitable casing, a wheel revolubly mounted therein and provided with a central set of vanes extending circumferentially thereof.

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and shaped to receive'motive fluid projected in either direction, sets of vanes arrange in ste ped order at the op osite sides of the centra set of vanes and s aped respectively to receive motive fluid flowin in reverse directions, and a controlling va lve in said casing having portsfor admitting the motive fluid to the vanes of smallest diameter and for transferring the motive fluid expansively to the central set of vanes, the valve being adjustable to reverse the flow of motive fluid from one set of vanes to the other set.

5. An elastic fluid turbine comprising a suitable casing, a wheel revolubly mounted therein and provided with one set of vanes which is adapted to receive motive fluid flowing in either directon, and also vanes shaped respectively to receive motive fluid flowing in opposite directions, and a set of ported valves mounted in the casing and serving to control the admission of motive fluid to the wheel, each valve having duplicate sets of ports for admitting the motive fluid to one of the sets of vanes and for transferring the fluid expansively from one set of vanes to another and flnally admitting it to the vanes first mentioned, the direction of flow of the motive fluid being reversed by rotation of said valves, said valves being also provided with ports for simultaneously admitting the motive fluid under full pressure to a lurality of the sets of vanes for rotation of t ie wheel in either direction.

6. An elastic fluid turbine comprising a suitable casing, the inner circiun'ferential surface of which is provided with a series of pairs of faces, each pair of faces being of reverse inclination, and a wheel revoluble in the casing and provided with a series of vanes extending circumferentially thereof, the distance between alternate vanes on the wheel being equal substantially to the distance be tween the alternate angles of the reversely inclined surfaces of the casing, and means for admitting motive fluid to the wheel.

In testimony hereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- JOHN HUTOHINGS.

' nesses.

l/Vitnesses:

ALFRED GEORGE BRooKEs, HARRY JOHN STOBEN. 

